Road Trip!

I love road trips--planned road trips that is!  We head NE--first stop Waco, Texas!  I know that's not a very interesting place to stop but we are finding the local coffee shop--Common Grounds

Well, look at that--just down the street from Magnolia Silos--

 we'll take a peek and see what all the fuss is about.  And there is even

a bakery on site!  This couple has certainly built a special place in Waco! 

Okay--only 10 minute wait--I've heard stories of waiting an

hour or more to get in the bakery.

Now, that we have our fill of favorite beverages and delicious cupcakes from

Magnolia Bakery--we hit the road again

Our next stop, outside of Waco, is Brazos Valley Cheese--

they were making Ghost pepper cheese when we arrived.

Somehow, four different varieties fell into my basket--

love the horseradish pecan on huckleberry cheddar--

oh, the ghost pepper cheese is delicious too!

Fort Worth here we come!!

Our main purpose from visiting:

Bass Performance Hall is presenting "Something Rotten!"  Broadway play that is a must see

again!  We saw this hilarious play last summer and were glad to see it was coming to a theater in another Texas town-- .

A great road trip so far--now, we venture onto our next destination--

Jackson, Mississippi!  We are on our way to Florida and January

spin-in gathering.  

Birds + Paper = Quilt!

As you see, I've changed my blog background!  Enough of the cold, snow,

wind, ice, sleet, freezing temperatures--onto the beautry of

Valentines Day!

Do you like to PP (paper piece)?  Then, this project is just right for you....

An immediate sewing adventure on paper leads to a year of

"Into The Wild" with our host, Janeen Van Niekerk, giving us her

vision of Charley Harper's work.  Harper said he was "the only wildlife artist who has never been compared to Audubon," 

Each month Janeen will give us a free bird pattern (till next month's

pattern is posted).  

This is a great way to 'sing' our way into Spring!

It's A Mundane Chore!

I HATE ironing!  It's that one chore that I will put off till

the pile to be ironed is higher than my ironing board!

Yesterday I ironed five blouses, two 

shirts and a box full of small pieces for the Bonnie

Hunter's latest mystery "On Ringo Lake"

It seems to never end--just lots and lots of small pieces

that have to be pressed before the next step.....

There are 200 brown ones, 200  coral ones, but

that's not all--you must press one side, sew on the

next 2" square and press that side!

And then there are the 100+ longer pieces that have two 2" 

squares on each end--oh, and make sure you have the

squares going the right direction or you are doomed

to begin again!

You think you can see the end in pressing, you have

all the triangles to press..............

it's such a mundane chore that I HATE!

When all said and pressed--I hope the block is worth it!

This is Something A-ccoking!

We are using that IP (Instant Pot) !  Yay!

First up:  Steel Cut Oats!  On a cold day, there is nothing like a bowl of steel cut oatmeal for breakfast. The previous recipe I used from Alton Brown called for overnight in the slow cooker.  The oats were always ready for the breakfast, but OMG in the IP we can have Oatmeal in 3 minutes--not instant oatmeal either--the Steel Cut Oats!!  Delicious!

The IP recipe called for Almond Mlk or non-dairy--you could also use Coconut milk--we don't usually drink almond milk but sometimes, if I have it on hand,  I make hot cocoa -nice and rich and less calories too.  -

Next up:  Butternut Squash Soup!  Cooking the squash in the oven was my go to thing. The IP makes it easy peazy!  Cut up the squash into small pieces--add to IP, add liquid--I use chichen broth to get started.  This time, I had mango on hand and added it to the IP--First, I sauted onions in the IP--soo cool that you can do it all in the one pot!  Set machine to 8 minutes--I don't have an immersion blender so I transfer it to my regular blender, add some heavy cream (left over from pie days), salt, pepper, agave nectar for sweetness, little ginger and gram marsla,  blend!  Yummy good!  Drop a dollop of sour cream on top--

I love split pea soup--here we add onion, carrots, smoked sausage

instead of ham, little salt and cook 9 minutes--

and we have the most awesome split pea soup!  

Yummy!  and I didn't even need to put it through a blender

to puree the peas.

I know all I've made so far is soft stuff--I'm working my

nerve up to cooking meat!

Ready, Set, Start....

I'm beginning three new KALs (Knit Alongs) this month--will I continue or finish?

That's another thing, But...you can't finish anything, if you don't begin!

I found some Malabrigo yarn in my stash--this KAL

suggests at least four colors and 4 colors of Malabrigo is

exactly what I have!  This is designed by

Heather Anderson on Ravelry.  So far, it has been

a "Joyful" knitting experience--learning to use

German way to short row knitting

As usual, one of my favorite designers,

Elizabeth Ravenwood, has another great

lace pattern--Shetland Lace--years ago when

I took a Shetland lace knitting workshop with

Margaret Stove, I wasn't convinced I would like

to knit lace--now, give me the right needles and yarn,

and I'm off!  You can find this Shetland Lace

pattern on Ravelry as well

One of the groups I enjoy on Ravelry (just don't 

know what I'd do without Ravelry!) is Fingerless Gloves--

We are knitting a mysterious FLG pattern designed by

Sabine Kastner--happily named "Winding Stairway"

Mitts--I decided to knit two at a time and in order

to keep it straight in my mind, I'm using dark gray

for the left hand and light gray for right hand.

Some beads are involved too-

maybe, I'll switch colors in the next clue.

So, I've begun..........

let''s hope I finish!

New Year With Ex-Pats

The Expatchers gathered on a cloudy January Tuesday to share our holiday joys.

We also have our quilting to show off as well.

I was stitching the binding down on my friendship Texas quilt--

which prompted Judy to bring out her finished quilt.

She used red as her blending fabric.  Each of the

members exchanged 5" squares of Texas theme fabric last year--

Judy had a very colorful bluebonnet fabric for her backing

Sandy had quilted Linda's friendship and had it

for us to see--her blending fabric looked like

leather or suede--perfect setting

Here is mine.  I used batik bluebonnet fabric and

binding it with red--didn't have enough of the bluebonnet

I used just a plain 90" wide backing--

Sandy had also finished quilting Linda's 'kit' quilt

the fabric colors are smashing--and the border really

pulls it all together.

Here is the quilting on the border.

These days when we have finished quilts to

show are the best!

We moved to Judy's long arm to see her latest creation--

this is a charity quilt for her church's silent auction.

She had a panel of a Christmas tree and set it

in this window pane display.  Once quilted, she

will add sparkles throughout--

Really liked her border--but the gold quilting pattern

is lost on this busy pattern.

Annette has begun work on her birthday fat quarter exchange quilt

She ask for neutrals which will be used in this Churn Dash

pattern from Fons and Porter book of 2002--small blocks---

Annette colors for sure!

Next on Judy's list is another "Yellow Brick Road" quilt--

super charity quilt.

Love these days when we can share and chat--we miss

those who were unable to attend though.

Instant! Oh, Almost........................

I received an Instant Pot for Christmas!  Yes, I requested one and now I'm on another adventure...............  learning how to work with this new thing! 

If you are not aware--this is programable pressure cooker--

no, not like the old ones we used that you worried about

exploding!  

This marvel cooks in less time, uses less energy and

creates one pot meals!

I was so excited to try it out--read all the brochures,

watched YouTube videos and looked up recipes.

First off, it is recommended you boil water. to see if the

machine is working correctly--well,

I didn't just want to boil water--I went to the next test--

cook eggs--hardboil those eggs!!

it WORKED--quickly!  Nice easy peeling eggs too!

Next, I made a quiche with leftovers--

No heating the oven--just pour everything into the

Insta-Pot, set and forget!

AHHHH, a nice crustless veggie quiche!  

Beat eggs with little milk, add salt, pepper, veggies (I had 

aspargus, bell peppers, onion.  You can also add meat),

cheese and pour into  bowl, place in pot, turn on for 20 minutes

(time may vary), let natural release for 10 minutes--

open and eat that quiche!!

I'm on a roll--I'll post more recipes as I make

headway into this new adventure.